The lifetime prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms among siblings of aneurysm patients is eightfold higher than among siblings of spouses: An analysis of 187 aneurysm families in Nova Scotia, Canada

There was a significant difference between the siblings of the AAA patients and those of the spouses both in the frequency of AAA detected by ultrasonography screening and in the overall prevalence of AAA. The overall prevalence of AAA in the siblings of AAA patients was about eight times that observed among the siblings of their spouses (19.2% vs 2.3%). These findings confirmed previous reports on high prevalence of AAA among siblings of AAA patients and emphasized the importance of an ultrasonography screening program for siblings of AAA patients.